Island Tales For The Curious and Bold

A collection of intriguing tales written into a ragged journal. The author is unknown.

The Island Of Ash

This island, about five days travel if exiting from Freeport and 2 weeks if exiting from Crystallis, is North East of the continent. The stories of this Island bring many would be adventures to their doom as there are several accounts of a supernatural influence to explain the grey sand that covers the coasts of the island as well as its menacing mansion. Some stories say that the island was host to a great battle between demons and dwarves with the ashes of both sides giving the island this sense of dread. Others claim that it is the ruins of some nobles who mysteriously disappeared. Yet others would claim that the island itself is infected with some sort of disease that feeds on people. Most peculiar of all however is how the island’s popularity fluctuates seemingly due to it vanishing. Some reports from brave sailors say that on most days the island is not there, but it always seems to return in the middle of the week before disappearing again. Some claim that the island moves while others say it sinks. There is too much variations between witnesses to confirm or deny any claims, but for certain there is undoubtedly treasure due to the sheer amount of people that venture to the island and are never heard from again. You can always be sure if it’s return when the sailors start to mumble its name in taverns. “Akeldama,” they call it,” Akeldama, Grave of the Greedy.”

The Tri-Mount Islands

Directly to the east of Arhor’ha, Two Weeks from Freeport but three weeks and two days from Crystallis, lay a formation of three islands all surrounding a mountain of gargantuan size. Claims tell that if one was to reach the top of that mountain they could see over the mountain range of Duodecim and beyond. Not much is known about two of the islands, but the third, which is the most separated from the other masses of land due to water, is inhabited by these owl like people that dubbed themselves as Strigiformes (A loose translation from their native tongue). They are a very simplistic race with good aligned morals and wisdom beyond their years though very elementary in scope. They do seem to display some innate hunger for knowledge as many of the children were reading “High Level Spellcasting for the Prodigious” and comprehending the material, some of them mimicked the verbal and somatic components of the spells though lacking any innate magic except for one. The “leader”, dubbed Grey Leader Howlet, is a very methodical leader. He was very suspicious of those not Strigiforme yet he found benefit in a mutual respect between the two of us. Because of this, books of various subjects were traded in exchange for more information about the island. It is told that the island to the left of them is filled with variations of goblinoids while the right is empty though the reason for why is unknown. The mountain was similarly not given any explanation. Overall, a quaint community and perhaps a lovely vacation spot. The storms surrounding the island are very difficult to navigate however so protection is highly recommended.

The Onyx Queen’s Burial

Though not really an island per say the strange patch of water is very much peculiar. This patch of water, spanning about 50 yards and Southeast of Arhor’ha usually taking about 6 days to reach if leaving from Freeport or 2 weeks and a day if leaving Crystallis, is said to be the resting place of the Onyx Queen, the ruler of a distant island and supposed consort of the Pirate King of Old. Tales about her vary though the solid characteristic of avarice was a constant. It is said her greed rivaled that of a dragon and she spent a majority of her time counting coin rather than running her island. It was due to this negligence that a few sailors, charged with transporting the Queen to the Pirate King in Freeport, sunk their own ship and leaving the Queen to drown as they rowed away on dinghy’s. With her last breath, the Queen cursed her watery grave and the sailors who left her to die by turning them into ravens forever restrained to the grave as wardens. Surprisingly the legend does not evoke fear similar to that of the Pale Maiden, but rather a lust for danger. Many ships have sailed towards the burial and returned empty handed. Witnesses say that the water of the burial is pitch black and no light can escape it. Those who have gone under to try and see the depth claim it is hundreds of feet down. In addition, the “water” seems to choke those that inhale it for too long so potions of water breathing are effectively useless. The call of the Onyx Queen’s treasure still summons those bold enough to claim it. I would suggest going around it less someone in your crew be tempted to test their luck.

Entries after the Abjuration Vault in the Vault of the Tri-Mount Islands. The author is revealed to called The Scribe.

The Brittle

I can not begin to say how long it has been since I’ve seen the rugged shores of Freeport and sanity must have left my mind for I actually miss the rough exterior of the streets. Fortunately, I’ve found another place just as sharp. Using the Trimount as a checkpoint in the vast tides of the world, this obelisk stands tall against the crashing brine and sloth within the ocean. The first sight to this horror are the five pillars surrounding it, shaping itself like an open hand though it its center lay the monument of terror. From the distance I’ve kept while aboard the ship, I can only make out the faintest notions of what lurks upon land. At most, I see grim mockeries of life filling the area as if the occurrence was natural. Trees fused with melting glass, sand mixed with shards of shoddy masonry, and those that call this hovel an abode… I can’t speak upon it anymore. I’m lose more of myself everyday. Some of the crew actually leaped overboard and swam towards the island, past the pillars, and onto the land. We did eventually retrieve them though they were irreversibly changed. This melting glass, which seems to be present even in waters though does not go farther than the pillars, has clung to their skin and made them rough. It is like a tumor or a parasite as every minute that passes makes the infected crew less like themselves and more absent minded. Dead men walking. The captain, after much pressure from the crew, decided to toss the infected overboard and I was requested to research the strange liquid crystals further. Looking back on it now I wish I had said no. I feel my synapses bleeding and I rue the day I ever lay my eyes upon this island. An island, I dubbed, The Brittle.
The crystals are similar to Feldspar, which I will call its resting state, from dawn till dusk. It shimmers with a plethora of colors, essentially spanning the entire chromatic spectrum, but all are of a lighter shade ranging from lilac to pink. However, from dusk till dawn the crystals “bloom” and morph to resemble quartz, which I have called its active state. It’s here where the crystals exhibit their most peculiar trait.
The crystal’s colors shift at a more rapid frequency than before, its colors become several shades darker until it stops at a very alluring and rich shade that rivals the lights of the Aurora itself. It is also during this time that it starts to “melt”. It secretes this clear, viscous substance that carries small bits of the crystals as well as being easily absorbed by certain substances. I’ve tried leather, wood, iron, and silver yet it seems only organic materials absorb the liquid and inorganic materials repel it.
In addition, the liquid has properties of transmutation as it is able to “infect” and transform organic material into a parody of the crystal. It also would seem the smaller crystals within the liquid grow over time. After leaving out the leather for a day I came back later to find it covered in crystals while in a resting state. From this I can conclude that the crystals must mature first before being able to become active. There size varies though I do not know for what reason. It may be random.
I have also compared a more solid sample to another which had a more watery consistency. It seems that as the crystals get older they shift towards a constant state of activation with each night causing a fully matured crystal to “melt” even during the day though not as much as it would at night.
I would highly recommend avoiding this place at all costs.

Normengutr

A horror of the deep, malevolent and wild, this creature strangles imaginations on the ship and starts to choke my senses. I’ve been losing myself more. The Brittle is changing me. Regardless, this creature has many names in Freeport. Neptune, Ole Brine, The Lurking Lizard, etc. From rumors I have collected this creature is so enormous that it could swallow Arhor’ha whole and could wrap itself around the continent thrice. Its breathe is like scalding water, its gaze so piercing that even the stars go dark when observed by it, and worse the creature is said to be young, only being seventy years old. Some speculate it still grows, spawned from the Celestials as divine punishment on the day of Rapture. Others comment it is a representation of a great evil that lurks beneath the world and perhaps lies in wait within the Abyss. I can only speak from experience or from what I think is experience for I have never seen the creature in all of its petrifying obscenity. From glances, of what I think the creature is, it seems slow. The legends seem to hold some merit. I last saw it some time away from Arhor’ha towards the North about six months I presume. I must rest now. The nightmares call and I, their unwilling tormentee.

Counter-Clockwise Waters

On my many expeditions, I have seen several unnatural and peculiar sights though perhaps the most unassuming is this section of ocean I just recently discovered. About 7 weeks South from Crystallis and 9 weeks Southwest if leaving Freeport is a section of water where waves seem to sway in the direction contrary to the rest of the ocean. I have noticed some dark shapes below the water though nothing truly out of the ordinary. I will have to come back to it later.

The Dead Woods

North of the Trimount Islands, about 6 weeks out, is my favorite spot in all of Arhor’ha so far. Being about 2 yards in diameter, I came across a wonderfully dark space of the ocean. I call the Dead Woods. This swamp is made up entirely of dead trees that seemingly grow straight from the ocean floor! Termites and other insectoid creatures are common though they seem largely passive unless one of the trees are harmed. It is truly an enthralling sight and a wonderful spot for quiet research. The trees absorb the impacts of waves and strangely it has a calming smell about it. Best I can describe it is a mixture the morning dew and a crackling fire. I will say that at times I felt like I was being watched though it was usually just a termite crawling on my neck. I highly recommend this spot.
The Chromatic Cove
South of the Trimount Islands, about a week and a half away, is a large cove that spans about seven miles and is entirely inhabited by kobolds! Kobolds!